Liverpool reserve team goalkeeper Nikolay Mihailov is reportedly under armed
guard in his native Bulgaria following a row with a notorious mafia
godfather over a glamorous model.

Loose talk: Nikolay Mihailov, the Liverpool reserve team goalkeeper, has got himself invoved in a dispute following comments made about Nikoleta Lozanova (pictured), his former girlfriend

By Mark Ogden

1:52PM BST 23 Jun 2009

Mihailov, who ended last season on loan at Steve McClaren's FC Twente, is being shadowed round the clock by at least three minders after an acid attack on his £170,000 Ferrari sports car.

Reports in Bulgaria claim that a violent row began when local mob godfather Georgi 'The Head' Stoilov began dating Mihailov's former girlfriend, model Nikoleta Lozanova, who was crowned Bulgaria's 'Playmate of the Year' in 2006.

Mihailov allegedly joked to local media that if his new girlfriend was a Ferrari, Nikoleta must be a broken down Trabant from the old East Germany.

The next day, Mihailov woke to find that his Ferrari had suffered £17,000 worth of damage following an acid attack that had destroyed the car's paintwork.

Authorities suspect involvement from the Stoilov family, one of Bulgaria's most powerful Mafia clans.

Family boss Stoil Stoilov was assassinated together with three of his bodyguards in Bulgaria's capital Sofia in January 2004 when a huge bomb took out the lift they were in.

Mihailov is now reportedly in hiding while club bosses decide whether he should remain in Bulgaria or return to Anfield.

The 20-year-old, who is the son of former Reading and Bulgaria goalkeeper Borislav Mihailov, has yet to make a senior appearance for Liverpool following his arrival from Levski Sofia two years ago.

He appeared to have little future at Anfield following manager Rafael Benitez's decision to loan him to FC Twente, but with Charles Itandje set to leave the club and doubts over the future of Benfica target Diego Cavalieri, Mihailov could find himself as second choice behind Pepe Reina at the start of the new season.